Colchester United 2 Millwall 1

Sammie Szmodics and Kane Vincent-Young bagged first-half goals as Colchester United recorded an impressive pre-season victory over Millwall tonight.

The Londoners netted a late consolation with substitute Jed Wallace curling home in the 90th minute.

The U’s were good value for this win over a Lions side who had finished a fine eighth in the Championship last season.

It continued the U’s good pre-season record, which now reads as five wins from six outings, with one draw.

This latest friendly, a step up in class in terms of the opposition, was also the first of two home games this week – Gillingham will be the visitors on Saturday.

Szmodics broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, bursting onto Ryan Jackson’s through ball before slotting under the advancing Ben Amos.

And Vincent-Young produced an even better finish to double the lead in the 31st minute. The U’s left-back latched onto Brennan Dickenson’s pass and skipped past a challenge before lifting his shot over Amos and into the roof of the net.

The U’s created the first chance of the night. Courtney Senior cut inside a couple of defenders, on the right-edge of the box, before feeding Sammie Szmodics, whose goal-bound shot was charged down by centre-half Byron Webster.

The Lions had their first goal attempt in the 11th minute, after summer signing Harry Pell upended striker Fred Onyedinma on the edge of the box. Shane Ferguson curled the ensuing free-kick goalwards, but Dillon Barnes was alert enough to divert the ball over the bar.

Szmodics slotted the U’s into the lead on the 20-minute mark, with a calm finish.

But it needed a fine save by Barnes to deny Millwall an equaliser, just four minutes later, the U’s keeper diving to his left to claw away Aiden O’Brien’s angled drive.

Vincent-Young doubled the U’s lead with a sublime finish, just after the half-hour mark.

It was a quiet end to the first half, and also for the first 20 minutes of the second period, although Luke Prosser dragged a shot wide from a good position on 66 minutes.

Boss John McGreal gave all his starting XI a good 75 minutes of action, before introducing all of his eight substitutes at the same time. Only Ryan Jackson and Frankie Kent stayed on for the whole match.

The U’s came close to a third goal with just five minutes remaining, summer signing Luke Norris (from Swindon) smacking the bar with a thunderous 20-yarder.

Squads

COLCHESTER: Barnes, Jackson, Prosser, Kent, Vincent-Young, Senior, Pell, Lapslie, Dickenson, Szmodics, Nouble. Used subs (all on 75 mins): Gilmartin, Norris, Comley, Wright, Kensdale, Eastman, Mandron, Collins & Clamplin.

MILLWALL: Amos, McLaughlin, Webster (sub Gregory, 51), Wallace, Meredith, Ferguson (sub Romeo, 51), Tunnicliffe, Saville, O’Brien, Morison, Onyedinma.

Referee: Mr C Hicks